-
Courtesy Photo
Members of the nonprofit Beaumont Area Council of the Blind Inc. (BACB) met in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse on Oct. 13 to observe White Cane Day and demonstrate the importance of the white canes, which group President Kenneth Semien says are vital tools that allow people with visual impairment to navigate a world designed for the sighted population.
“We’re here today to bring awareness to the general public about the white cane in honor of White Cane Day, which is Oct. 15. We want everyone to know that this white cane is not just a stick. This is a tool for us to independently navigate,” said Semien. “We want people to respect safety when they see a pedestrian using a white cane. And, we want to meet as many people out here today as we can. We are always encouraging people who are blind or have a visual impairment to join BACB.
“BACB has been around since 2009. We want to empower as many individuals as possible, to teach them to live independently and show the public our productivity. We live here, and we work here. We are intelligent, capable people with families and careers. We want people to get to know us. We want to make a difference, make Beaumont more accessible for blind people and create change in the community.”
Semien says he travels around the state consulting with contractors and governments on accessibility improvements.
During the gathering at the courthouse Oct. 13, Semien was celebrating a local victory for visually impaired voters.
“Jefferson County just purchased some new voting equipment, and it’s all-accessible,” he described. “We’re going to be demonstrating that later today. The machine speaks to us, so we can cast our ballots privately, just like anybody else. We would love to be able to vote online, from our home computers. Some states have already implemented a program for that. It’s just a different way to vote.”
Learn more about BACB on social media, by calling (409) 866-5838 or email the organization at Bacbinfo@gmail.com.